Improvement in trunk-stays



A. FRANKEL.

TRUNK-STAYS.

No.183,917. Patented. Oct. 31. 1876.

jnvantar:

UNITED STATES PATENT Omen,

anmnnnn FRANKEL, or newline, s. .L, ASSIGNOR T0 JACOB LAGOWITZ.

iMPROVEMENT IN TRUNK-STAYS.

pecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183, I 7, dated October 31, 1876; application filed September 23, 1876.

15 all u-bonu't may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER Fa muss, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain 1mprovements in Trunk-Stays, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists in an improved construction of trunk-stays, whereby they are rendered less liable to come in contact with obstructions in closing the trunk, and which maybe released by the drawing down of the lid in the act of closing the trunk, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the improved device applied to a trunk, and Fig. 2 a view of the same detached.

As shown in the drawing the stay consists of a thin strip of metal, pivoted at its upper end to the lid of the trunk by means of a screw or nail passing through a hole, 0, near the end of the strip, as shown. From a point about midway between the ends of the stay a slot, r, is out, extending toward the lower end of the same, and connecting with, or tcrminoting in, ashort slot or notch, s, which stands inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the main slot r, the point t of their junction being rounded ed, as shown in Fig. 2. The main slot r is cut at such an angle to the axis or edges of the stay that, when the trunk-lid is raised up, as shown in Fig. 1, the slot stands nearly in line with the upper edge of the trunk, said slot working over a pinor screw, 11, which has a head wider than the slot, in order to prevent the stay from slipping of the pin, said stay dropping down when the lid is raised clear up, and allowing the notch s to straddle the pin or screw (1, against which one of the sides of the slot 8 rests, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby locking the lid in its raised position.

It will be seen that, by this construction, the stay A is caused to move forward in a straight line, or nearly so, instead of passing downward into the main body of the trunk, as usual. This arrangement renders the stay much less liable to come in contact with oi structions than when it is caused to pass down into the trunk in the ordinary manner.

The short slot or notch 8 being cut, as before stated, at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the main slot r, instead of at a right angle thereto, as they are usually constructed, it will be observed that a slight pressure on the lid downward will cause the stay to ride upward ou the pin d, the slots coming out of contact with the said pin, and the slot 1- coininto line with the same, allowing the lid to be brought clear down. Although the stay may be thus released, there is suflicient force required to overcome its hold when locked in position, to prevent its becoming loosened by any ordinary jarring that might occur in moving or walking about the room.

It is obvious that the inclined notch 8 may he used in connection with the ordinary stay, in which the slot 7' is made parallel with the edges of the stay; orthat the stay, having the inclined slot r, may he used in connection with the right-angle notch commonly used in stays of this description.

In Fig. 2 the stay is shown curved slightly, this being done for the purpose of allowing the slot 1" to he made at the necessary angle to the sides without increasing the width of metal in the strip.

This device makes a very simple, cheap, and efficient article.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A trunk-stay having its longitudinal or guiding slot 1' inclined, as shown, whereby it is made to move forward in a direct line, or nearly so, when the trunk is closed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A trunk-stay having the longitudinal slot 1* terminating in the curved slot or notch s, whereby the stay may he released by simply pressing the cover forward, as set forth.

ALEXANDER FRANKEL.

Witnesses:

J'. W. LIEL, F. It. Srnnasnonnrr. 

